Zombie Overload (Books 1 & 2): Dying To Live & Fighting To Live

by C. M. Wright

  Will crouches down in front of Wes so that they are eye to eye.....damn, Will! Would you like me to slap a couple pieces of bread on each side of your head for him? Jesus! He's telling Wes what we had discussed earlier, him being tied to the top of one of the vans, and why. I expected a "hell no!" or "are you freakin' nuts?' or "kiss my ass!" even. But he just nods and says, "I think that would be best."

  Will helps him out of the car and leads him toward the vans. We all decide on mom and dad's van so we can keep an eye on him from our position in the back. I run to our van and dig out one of the boys sleeping bags, a thin blanket, and a small but thick pillow and take back. I hand the items to Will after he assists his nephew to the top of the van. He helps him get in the sleeping bag, then wraps the thin blanket loosely one time around his head to protect his face, yet still allowing him to breathe. After placing the pillow under his head, Will reaches down for the rope my dad is holding up to him. After tying him to the luggage rack and satisfied Wes is secure, he climbs back down.

  Kim calls out to Peg and asks her if she wants to talk to Wes before we get back on the road. Considering she didn’t want to before he was tied up, why would she now? And nope. She doesn't. She waves her future mother-in-law off with one hand and continues her call. I see Kim's body start tightening up and I know shit is gonna get good....bad. I meant bad. Really I did!

  Kim flies down that slope faster than I believed was possible for someone her age and snatches that little bitch by the hair. Pulling it straight up, Peg has no choice but to stand. She doesn't even have time to start a one syllable word before her face is being pounded over and over by her fiance's mother's fists. She drops to the ground completely unconscious. Her future mother-in-law walks away, leaving her right where she fell.

  Kim walks over to the van, climbs up next to her son and admits in a trembling voice what she did and how sorry she is. What he said to her made all of us, well the conscious ones anyway, gasp.

  "Leave her. Just go. You're the one who will protect my kids. She won't. She never took care of them before, and she hasn’t since this started. She's never cared about them or me."

  She tells him she's not leaving her (why not?) but she would still protect her grandbabies and her son. So Dad and Will go pick Peg up, carry her up the slope, and shove her in the car. She's still out. I'm biting my lip to keep from laughing over her reaction when she wakes up and realizes she's stuck in a very small space with the woman who just knocked her ass out!

  The rest of us finish our business (you know what that means for me!) and load back up in our vehicles. I ask Will if he wants to go check on his brother and he firmly says "Nope" and I know to let it go.

  So now we are pulling back onto the interstate, worrying about what waits for us in the Capital City.

  To be continued.......

  Special Thanks and Acknowledgments

  Special thanks to my husband and older son, who read each chapter and drove me crazy until I finished the next. Thank you to my youngest for keeping me humble. Thank you all for your suggestions and help. I love you, all.

  ________________________

  Many, MANY thanks to Trisha Wilko for the amazing photo on the cover of this book and for the ones to come. You are beautiful, even when you are on zombie-mode. Love you, my friend and fellow Walking Dead freak!

  Fighting To Live

  Book Two In The Zombie Overload Series

  C.M. Wright

  Copyright © 2012 C.M. Wright

  All Rights Reserved

  Cover copyright © 2012 by Trisha Wilko

  Cover Model Trisha Wilko

  This is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, businesses, events, or locales is purely coincidental. The author has taken great liberties with locales including the creation of fictional towns. Some large cities and their names, streets, highways, and interstate names are true and as close to accurate, as possible. Any mistakes are entirely the fault of the author.

  Product names, brands, and other trademarks referred to within this book are the property of their respective trademark holders. Unless otherwise specified, no association between the author and any trademark holder is expressed or implied. Use of a term in this book should not be regarded as affecting the validity of any trademark, registered trademark, or service mark.

  Reproduction in whole or part of this publication without express written consent is strictly prohibited. The author greatly appreciates you for taking the time to read their work.

  To my mother, who wasn't afraid to point out my mistakes in the first book. I appreciate that, and I love you.

  Chapter 1

  As we get closer to Springfield, I can't help but wish we had the time to take a nap. If this were a movie, we would be awake for days and then attacked by a couple hundred zombies while being all super-strong and focused. Damn movies.

  But we are not in a movie and we are tired. And Springfield is a big city. Not a good combination, especially if the activity on Interstate 72 outside Springfield is any indication of what we have to look forward to. This sucks.

  Cars, trucks, semis. Make, model, color. Pick one. It's probably here. The closer we get, the worse it gets. A few minutes ago we only had to slow down and, with little effort, make our way around a few vehicles. Now, not so much. There's no going faster than 15-20 miles per hour. And that's when it's at its best. And I complained about the traffic during rush hour. PUH' LEEZ!

  It's so dark out and the abandoned or wrecked vehicle's headlights shining beams all over the place made it eerie as hell. Some of the headlights are pointing to the sky as if they are trying to signal Batman. Sorry, but Batman's not going to save our asses from this!

  Occasionally, I see a dark shape pass in front of one of the beams. The Undead. I can hear them. I think I can even smell them.

  Will slows the van down, then stops. I look to the front of us and realize Dad isn't moving, either. I can't see Kim's car since she's ahead of Dad, but I assume she's stopped, as well.

  I look over at Will and he's got his hand on the door handle, looking around, and I know he's about to get out.

  “Oh, HELL NO YOU'RE NOT!” I reach for and grab his coat. With a good yank back toward me, I give him an 'I-will-kill-you-myself-if-you-do' look.

  He places his hand over mine and squeezes. “Honey, I have to get out and see what's wrong. I promise I'll be careful and not do anything stupid.”

  “Getting out IS stupid!” I inform him.

  “We can't survive if we stay in the van for the rest of our lives and you know that. Trust me, ok? Have some faith.”

  Faith, huh? Can I just point out that his track record hasn't been all that great? Like the time he said, “Have some faith, Honey” just before he climbed up that old crappy ladder and we ended up spending most of the evening in the E.R. And the time he said, “Have some faith” and was back in the E.R for heat stroke. Well, guess what, Babe? E.R. is no longer taking patients!

  But he's right that we can’t stay inside the van forever, and I do know that. I don't like it! But I do know it.

  I release his coat and with one more look around, he gets out. I'm scared to death! I turn sideways in my seat facing the driver side window, staring hard into the near darkness and watching for breaks in the beams of light scattered around. I listen. I......OH MY GOD!

  I jump so high my head smashes into the stupid roof of the van. I'm so scared I can't even turn around to see what just hit my window. I hear the boys laughing in the backseat so I feel safe in assuming it's not something that wants to kill me. Now me killing whoever that is, that's a different story. I turn and see my dad laughing at me.

  “Ha. Ha. See how hard you're laughing when I find myself a gun and you end up getting shot in your fool head.” I inform him as I roll the window down.

  He laughs harder. Men suck!

  He puts his hands on the window and leans in to look at the boys. He asks them how they are doing and they both answer that
they're ok. He turns, looking into the darkness behind him, before turning back to me.

  “We've got a problem. Road is completely blocked ahead. Vehicles are piled up tight at the entrance and halfway down the bridge. We're trying to decide what to do.” He tells me.

  “Is the other side open?"

  He shakes his head. “Nope. It's blocked, too.”

  “Let's go back to the last exit and take the back way in.” I suggest.

  “That's what Will and I talked about. He's checking on his sister and her kid. So let me go tell everyone to get a move on.” Dad says.

  Just over his shoulder, I see movement. I scream, “DAD!” and he spins around. It's too close for Dad to run and this dead dude was BIG! Not just big but HUMONGUOUS! Think of the tallest and most muscular guy you can think of. Now, times that by five. Serious exaggeration here but, DAMN! That guy is HUGE! He's way bigger in every way than my dad is.

  Dad brings his hands up to try to stop him but I think we all know that's not gonna happen. Big Boy opens his mouth. His teeth, mouth, chin, and neck are stained with a dark brownish color, pretty sure it's old blood. His big beefy arms come up and reach for my dad. He's wearing a wife-beater that says 'Hot Stuff Gym and Spa'. Well now, don't we all feel better knowing where he got that killer body, which is now a killer body?

  As his arms come up, I hear my boys screaming in the backseat. There's no way in hell I am going to let my kids watch their grandpa get killed. That gives me the strength, speed and power to snatch up one of the swords and, just as it brings it's head down toward my dad's face, shove it as hard as I can between my dad and the open window and straight into it's distorted dead face. I obviously don't hit him in the brain because he isn’t going down, but he does back up enough so that my dad is able to grab the handle of the sword and finish the job. Maybe I need to check out that gym for myself.

  Dad stands for a moment, breathing hard. I grab him, giving him a hug, then he opens the side door and hugs both his grandsons, telling them he's ok. Everything's alright. But even they know that’s not true. But at least he's alright.

  Mom comes flying toward us and practically suffocates Dad, but I understand how she feels. I look around for Will, nervous as hell that I can’t see him. All that commotion should have sent him running, but it didn’t. Where the hell is he?

  I get out of the van to go look for him, but Mom and Dad try to stop me. Dad says he'll go find Will, but I’m determined, so Dad gives in but tells me he's going with me. Mom climbs inside my van to stay with the boys. Standing in front of the van, we look around for undead. I see none. I'm not really sure why we weren’t swarmed when Dad was attacked, we damn sure made enough noise.

  Moving around Mom and Dad's vehicle, we see why. Up ahead, near the beginning of the bridge, my husband and his sister are top of a semi trailer. On the ground, are at least a dozen walking dead.

  Chapter 2

  Oh. My. GOD! Heart-stopping panic. What do we do? What do we do?

  I hear Dad gasp. That makes me feel so much better, Dad!

  He turns to me and with a wild look in his eyes, my terror increases. There is no way we can take on that many with just knives and swords. I couldn't even take out one!

  I see headlights coming our way and I pray they're not speeding and about to slam into us.

  (I guess I haven’t said anything about other living people. But, no. We aren’t the only ones still alive. I've just been a bit selfish and self-centered, I suppose. We've seen several others. Running, driving, fighting, dying. So, yes, there are others.)

  A shiny black Hummer pulls up behind my van, and the driver's door opens. I see legs first, then a rifle, an arm, then finally, a head. He's 6'5", 250 lbs, maybe 45 years old. Dark brown military-style shaved head, big muscles, and looks like he doesn't take shit from anyone, living or dead. Where was he 10 minutes ago?I bet he could have taken Mr. Buff on!

  He walks toward us, wearing all black. Black military-style fatigue pants, black t-shirt, short black leather coat, black boots. Apparently, the man likes black.

  He stops directly in front of me. I look up into his face. He looks down into mine. I'm speechless. And then I'm not.

  "Help us, please! My husband is stuck on top of a semi with a dozen of those things waiting at the bottom." I sound like a pathetic little girl, but I guess I kinda am at this point.

  He doesn’t say a word. Not one single word. He just looks past us, and walks toward the bridge. I turn and follow. He walks right up to the throng of dead and starts shooting. Will's head jerks toward the sound of the gun. Man, I wish I had a gun!

  He takes each one down without wasting a bullet. Finally, the last one falls and Will and his sister climb down. I fly into Will's arms. We hold each other tight and I'm not afraid to admit I'm blubbering like a baby. Will kisses me long and deep, then sighs against my lips. All I can do is thank God he's alive and safe. Until I remember he is alive and safe.

  Punching him in his stomach, his breath leaves him in a whoosh and he bends over. He looks up at me.

  "What the hell was that for?" He gasps out.

  I yell back at him, "You told me you would be careful. You promised me you would be careful and you wouldn't take any chances!"

  He places his hands on his knees and tries to remember how to breathe again. "I didn't do anything, damn it! I just went on the semi to see what the bridge looked like."

  I bend down and look him straight in the face. Holding his gaze for a few moments, then lowering my voice, I say, "it looks like a damn bridge, Babe."

  I straighten up and with a final glare, turn my back to him. Dad and the new guy are just standing there watching. Dad with no expression. New guy with a smirk. If that smirk was because he's laughing at me, he better hope I don't find out. I'll take his ass down. Well, ok, maybe not. But I WILL find a way to hurt him.

  Will recovers and looks up at the man. Keeping his eyes on me as he passes me, he holds his hand out to the other man. They shake and Will thanks him.

  "Not a problem. Glad I could help. Name's Jake." Wow his voice is deep! "So, do you have any weapons?"

  Will introduces all of us and then tells him we have swords and knives. I can see the other man try not to laugh but he can't hide the twinkle in his eyes. He takes his rifle and flips it up, leaning it against his shoulder.

  "Well, if we can get to Springfield, we need to get you people loaded up with some real weapons. Even I don't want to get that close to the damn things using only a sword and especially a knife."

  Will nods and says, "I hate guns. But I would hate dying and being a zombie more. And I'll do whatever it takes to keep my family alive."

  Will tells him we are going to have to try to find another way to Springfield, that the bridge is packed with cars. He also tells him something we can't see from where we are, but he had a great view of on top the semi, the other side of the bridge has at least a hundred undead trying to get through.

  Dad, Jake, and Will discuss the best alternate route while I keep my eye out for any danger. Finally, they figure it out and separate. Jake goes to his Hummer, Dad collects Mom from our van and walks her back to their own, and Will stops first to check Wes, who is still tied down on top of my parent's van. He's alive, but in pain, obviously.

  Will comes back to our van and turns it around, which isn't easy thanks to all the other vehicles, and follows Jake to the next exit. We pass people heading toward the bridge and Will yells out the window, trying to tell them that it's blocked. I see most of them turn around. The rest keep going. Idiots. I guess that’s not fair. The majority of them had wild eyes and panic on their faces, like we all have since this started, (well, maybe not Jake) but I hope they calm down soon or they may not be able to defend themselves or their families.

  One of the cars, a little yellow Volkswagen Beetle, had a younger woman, maybe early twenties, with a toddler and an infant in the backseat. My heart breaks and I realize how very lucky I am to have a husband and so many family memb
ers to help each other. A young mother with two babies has a very slim chance of making it, in my opinion. I hope she turns around.

  She did.

  Jake turns off at the exit and makes a left at the end of the ramp. Just off the exit, we pass through a fairly small town. This town has so many undead and we see no living people here, at all.

  Apparently, this didn’t start in Stephan like we believed. Or else it traveled with an unsuspecting person before he/she turned. Did it start in Stephan? How did it start? Who started this? I have a very hard time believing it wasn't man-made.

  My cell rings and I answer without looking at the caller-id. It's my mom, as I knew it would be.

  "I’ve been calling all the kids," (my siblings) "and they are all ok. They said there isn't anything like this going on there. It would be great if it stays that way. But I'm not counting on it. The ones who are at work are going home and packing their cars and will meet us at Rose's. I called Mom" (my grandma) "and she's ok, too. I told her we're going to stop and pick her up on the way. I told her to get food and drinks and stay upstairs in her bedroom with the door locked. Can these things climb?" Geez, Mom. Finally taking a breath? And what am I? The expert on zombies now?

  "I haven’t seen any of them climb but we shouldn't assume they can't." I tell her.

  "Ok. I'm gonna get off here and pay attention to the road." Yeah. Ok. But you're not driving. And I'm sure Dad wishes you wouldn't.

  We are on a hill on the outskirts of Springfield when Jake stops. We do the same and all of us get out. Our boys stay close as we meet Jake in front of his vehicle. He's standing with his back toward us, hands on his hips. Getting up next to him we look out over the City of Springfield and what we see leaves all of us speechless.